New Delhi:
He has mostly played urbancharacters but actor Imran Khan is set for quite an imagemakeover with his turn as a Haryanvi boy in Vishal Bhardwaj'sfilm Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola.
Like the unusual title, the film is an experience for theactor, who initially found it hard to picture himself as avillage boy. Imran, however, is excited about the challenge.After all, Bhardwaj is known for visualising his actorsdifferently.
"Vishal sir had congratulated me for my work in 'DelhiBelly' and said he would like to work with me someday. I wasreally flattered but did not take it seriously but he calledme a few months later for this film," Imran told PTI in aninterview.
"He (Vishal) narrated the screenplay to me and I loved itbecause I knew it was a great story. But, I would not haveimagined myself into it. It is very rustic. I asked him, 'Areyour sure I am right for this character?' and he was," the29-year-old actor added.
Imran, on his part, is currently busy polishing hisHaryanvi accent for the movie, which went on floors recently."I have set up base in Delhi. I have been taking accenttraining with some boys from Haryana for a month and half. Itis very difficult but an ongoing process. I am not completelysatisfied with myself," says Imran.
The actor found success with his very first film JaaneTu... Ya Jaane Na in 2008 but things did not go very wellwith his Kidnap and Luck.
It was not a good phase for the actor, who seemed an onefilm wonder at that time. He tasted success again with "I HateLuv Storys" but it was Delhi Belly that helped Imran changepeople's perception about him.
Imran, however, seems ready for the ups and downs in hiscareer.
"I have grown up in this industry. It prepared me for theupheavals. May be it is difficult for those who come fromoutside but I knew the volatile nature of the industry andentered films knowing the risks.
"The highs are so high and the lows are so low and publicthat you need to be able to hold on. I was emotionally andmentally prepared for that long before I started. I don't letsuccess go to my head and failure to my heart," says Imran.
His preparedness does not extend to planning his career.
The actor says he likes to take things as they come.
"You can't control the future, it will shape up on itsown. I am driven to do my best and rest is in the hands of theaudience. My goal is happiness. I think, it is easier to behappy than people imagine. The trick is to know what isimportant to you. In my case, my family, friends and work areimportant to me."
The actor has once again managed to get critics' approvalwith his controlled performance opposite Kareena Kapoor inrecently released "Ekk Main Aur Ekk Tuu", which saw himportraying a meek youngster bullied by his parents.
"The tricky thing about my role was that all of histhoughts, feeling and emotions are not displayed. Generally,in Hindi films there is more overacting but the challenge wasto keep everything underplayed and still try to make itinteresting for the audience.
"I could relate to the character because I have seen manyof my friends living the life that their parents want them tolive."
Like the unusual title, the film is an experience for theactor, who initially found it hard to picture himself as avillage boy. Imran, however, is excited about the challenge.After all, Bhardwaj is known for visualising his actorsdifferently.
"Vishal sir had congratulated me for my work in 'DelhiBelly' and said he would like to work with me someday. I wasreally flattered but did not take it seriously but he calledme a few months later for this film," Imran told PTI in aninterview.
"He (Vishal) narrated the screenplay to me and I loved itbecause I knew it was a great story. But, I would not haveimagined myself into it. It is very rustic. I asked him, 'Areyour sure I am right for this character?' and he was," the29-year-old actor added.
Imran, on his part, is currently busy polishing hisHaryanvi accent for the movie, which went on floors recently."I have set up base in Delhi. I have been taking accenttraining with some boys from Haryana for a month and half. Itis very difficult but an ongoing process. I am not completelysatisfied with myself," says Imran.
The actor found success with his very first film JaaneTu... Ya Jaane Na in 2008 but things did not go very wellwith his Kidnap and Luck.
It was not a good phase for the actor, who seemed an onefilm wonder at that time. He tasted success again with "I HateLuv Storys" but it was Delhi Belly that helped Imran changepeople's perception about him.
Imran, however, seems ready for the ups and downs in hiscareer.
"I have grown up in this industry. It prepared me for theupheavals. May be it is difficult for those who come fromoutside but I knew the volatile nature of the industry andentered films knowing the risks.
"The highs are so high and the lows are so low and publicthat you need to be able to hold on. I was emotionally andmentally prepared for that long before I started. I don't letsuccess go to my head and failure to my heart," says Imran.
His preparedness does not extend to planning his career.
The actor says he likes to take things as they come.
"You can't control the future, it will shape up on itsown. I am driven to do my best and rest is in the hands of theaudience. My goal is happiness. I think, it is easier to behappy than people imagine. The trick is to know what isimportant to you. In my case, my family, friends and work areimportant to me."
The actor has once again managed to get critics' approvalwith his controlled performance opposite Kareena Kapoor inrecently released "Ekk Main Aur Ekk Tuu", which saw himportraying a meek youngster bullied by his parents.
"The tricky thing about my role was that all of histhoughts, feeling and emotions are not displayed. Generally,in Hindi films there is more overacting but the challenge wasto keep everything underplayed and still try to make itinteresting for the audience.
"I could relate to the character because I have seen manyof my friends living the life that their parents want them tolive."
